Donkeys Flashcards
How many donkeys are there in the UK?
Estimated 10-20,000
Average HR of donkey
36-52 bpm
RR of donkeys
12-28 bpm
Temperature of donkeys
36.5-37.8 degrees
Anatomical differences of donkeys
Adapted for desert life
- big ears
- cope better with dehydration
Cutaneous coli well developed to support the larger head of the donkey
- obscures middle 1/3 of jugular vein so need to inject higher or lower
Pectoral muscle is very small so never inject into it
Tear duct location much higher and protected by fold to prevent dust trapping
Size differences in donkeys
Miniature ~90-120kg
Standard ~160-200kg
Poitou/Mammoth ~400-500kg
Dietary requirements of donkeys
Need less than ponies of similar size
75% of diet should be barley straw in winter, 50% in summer
Rest of diet made up of grass and/or hay
Foot anatomy of donkeys
Extensor process of P3 is 1-1.3cm distal to the coronary band
○ Marker very useful to assess founder distance
Thick sole - 1cm+
○ Less sensitive to hoof testers
Frog does not extend as far forward
○ Frog support and heart bar shoes exacerbate rotational forces - not advisable
○Pads +/- glue shoes better
Behaviour of donkeys
Small closely bonded groups
Find it extremely stressful to be separated from their companion
often labelled as stubborn or difficult
very stoic and will hide pain and fear to the extreme
freeze or fight responses when scared or put under pressure
A dull/not eating donkey is a clinical emergency !!
What is sham eating?
When a donkey pretends to eat to avoid attention from predators
Will often find if you leave them with food and come back they won’t have eaten it
Oestrus behaviour of donkeys
Mounting
Herding
Chasing other females
Mouth clapping
Winking (repeated clitoral exposure)
Raising tail
Urinating posture
Standing to be mounted
Are donkeys seasonal breeders?
No
Gestation length for donkeys
somewhat a guideline, can vary from 11-14 months
Sedation of donkeys
Sedation doses same as horses, often higher in mules.
IM sedation quick onset, very useful in needle shy donkeys.
NSAID metabolism in donkeys
Phenylbutazone - metabolised faster in donkeys
Carprofen - metabolised slower
Flunixin
Meloxicam - not advised as very short half life
Common donkey conditions
Obesity
- hyperlipidaemia
- Asinine Metabolic syndrome (AMS)
- Laminitis
Colic
Colitis
Streptococcus zooepidemicus
Laminitis
White line abscess
Sarcoids
Hyperlipidaemia in donkeys
trigs >2.8mmol L (higher than in horses)
occurs when the donkey enters a NEBAL
donkey will mobilise fat reserves and send them to the liver for processing
when too much fat enters the liver for processing, it overwhelms the liver and triglycerides enter the peripheral metabolism faster than they can be used
Risk factors for hyperlipidaemia
Donkeys and small pony breeds
Obesity
Weight loss
Pregnancy/lactation
§ Or just being female
Increasing age (dental health, underlying conditions, illness)
Underlying primary disease (e.g. colic, liver disease)
Stress
Clinical signs of hyperlipidaemia
Dullness, lethargy, inappetence
Tachycardia/Tachypnoea/Pyrexia
Ileus/ abdominal discomfort
Congested membrane mucous, delayed CRT
Dry mucous covered faeces/dry faecal balls
Cloudy to milky serum/plasma
Halitosis
Muzzle and head oedema
Ataxia or neuro signs
§ Hepatic encephalopathy
Recumbency
Death due to multiorgan failure
Serum/plasma in hyperlipidaemia in donkeys
cloudier than horses generally, can measure at lab or on hand help meter.
Less likely to form the lard with plastic tube but can see it.
Treatment of hyperlipidaemia in donkeys
adapt to patient, a very stressed patient that is voluntarily eating may benefit more from being fed than tubed – ensure actually eating.
Via pony or foal sized nasogastric tube - for an average 180kg ish donkey
□ 2-3L warm water (1L/75kg bw)
□ Rehydration salts (e.g. Effydral/Lectade)
□ 120g glucose powder
□ 250-500g Ready brek
Any other oral meds can be added in
If more severe add in IV fluids
Presentation of colic in donkeys
Quiet/dull
No interest in food
Remember stoic. If dramatic, be concerned! May pretend to be fine when you get there, consider pain scoring
What is the most common cause of colic in donkeys?
Pelvic flexure impaction
Presentation of colitis in donkeys
Dull, can display colic signs, pyrexia, hypoproteinaemia
often nothing obvious on rectal, or potentially thickening/general pain.
Hypoproteinaemia, inflammatory leukogram, SAA increased – liver may be compromised, hyperlipaemia may occur
Rarely have diarrhoea (unlike horses)
Scan often thickening on abdo fluid, can check lactate in blood/ periotoneal tap.
Possible causes of colitis in donkeys
Stress, diet change, gut dysbiosis, toxin ingestion, endoparasitism
Treatment of colitis in donkeys
Analgesia
- flunixin, paracetamol, consider lidocaine/opioids – pain will cause ileus!
- Steroids can be useful but use carefully as steroids contraindicated in hyperlipaemic patients.
Antibiotics
- pen, gent, +/- metronidazole – role of ABX debatable in colitis horses,
Hyperlipaemic or anorexic patients more likely to get glandular ulcers
IM omeprazole 4mg/kg q5-7 days
Prognosis often guarded – consider QOL
Streptococcus zooepidemicus in donkeys
Similar to Strangles (S. equi)
Most isolated respiratory pathogen of donkeys
Often secondary to Equine Herpes Virus infection
Usually is self limiting
Low mortality rate
Commensal, but some pathogenic forms seen in donkeys
Clinical signs of Strep zooepidemicus in donkeys
Mucopurulent nasal discharge -unilateral or bilateral
Can rarely cause chondroids in guttural pouch
May be BAR, may be under the weather
Differentials for respiratory disease in donkeys
Strep zooepidemicus
EHV
Strangles
Asinine Herpes virus
Asthma
Recent streoid treatment
Treatment od Strep zooepidemicus in donkeys
Usually self resolving
May need NSAIDs and TLC
Clinical signs of laminitis in donkeys
Can present standing still, weight shifting or lying down
Often not noted until much later – non working and stoic
Rare to see classic laminitic stance, often seen as uni or bilateral lameness (mild to moderate), refusal to move/weight shifting/ recumbency (check for colic).
Strong DP present, hot feet, unable to weight bear.
Diagnostics for laminitis in donkeys
Radiographs – lateromedials with markers
ACTH - test for PPID (wait until acute pain has reduced)
Insulin - Asinine Metabolic Syndrome - delay
Management of laminitis in donkeys
low sugar diet,
restrictive grazing (never starve),
foot support pads,
deep bedding,
analgesia,
ice feet
White line abscesses in donkeys -incidence
Common in donkeys in UK
Soft, permeable hooves absorb moisture
White line abscesses in donkeys - predispositions
poor hoof care,
poor hoof quality,
malnutrition
vitamin restricted diets
Treatment of white line abscesses in donkeys
Trim regularly - spray with iodine
Can resect more foot than in horse, stop when get to blood but often have to dig scarily deep!
Incidence of sarcoids in donkeys
Common
Location of sarcoids in donkeys
Often genital region, ventral abdomen, face/lips, eyes
Treatment of sarcoids in donkeys
Same as in horses
- laser resection
- topical creams
- injections
Behaviour of sarcoids in donkeys
Can be aggressive, grow rapidly, and become infected
IV catheter placement in donkeys
Thicker skin than horses
○ Cutaneous coli muscle
Ensure good restraint +/- sedation.
○ Lift head and extend neck
Clip and clean
Lidocaine “bleb” or EMLA cream (needs 20+ min contact time)
Carefully cut down skin with scalpel
Stitch in place
Donkey castration age
Ideally castrate colts at 6-18 months
Donkey castration method
Always castrate closed due to larger reproductive organs and blood vessels – inject local into the cord
General anaesthesia – field or theatre
○ Colts <2 years old – scrotal approach
○ Stallions >2 years old – inguinal approach (in theatre)
Blood vessels must be ligated!
○ Crush for 3 minutes
○ 5-metric vicryl
Possible complications of castration in donkeys
Infection
§ Skin edges or cord
§ Swab for bacteriology
§ Scirrhous cord requires repeat GA
Haemorrhage
Evisceration
No technique will eliminate risk
Pre-med in donkeys - theatre protocol
ACP IM
Detomidine IV
Butorphanol IV
Morphine
Pre-med in donkeys- field protocol
ACP IM/slow IV (may not need)
Detomidine IV
Butorohanol IV
Induction of donkeys - theatre protocol
Ketamine IV
Diazepam IV
Induction of donkeys - field protocol
Ketamine IV
Diazepam IV
Maintenace of anaesthesia in donkeys - theatre protocol
Isoflurane 2-3%
Ketamine top-up 1/3 induction dose if needed
Maintenace of anaesthesia in donkeys - field protocol
Top ups 10mins (timed)
1/3 induction dose of ketamine
1/2 induction dose detomidine 30 mins
Or triple drip GKX
Triple drip anaesthesia combo for donkeys
Myolaxin (guafenesin)
Saline
Xylazine
Ketamine
Mule
Male donkey x female horse
Hinny
Female donkey x male horse
